WASHINGTON – On the heels of the anniversary of pandemic lock down in the US and amidst mass vaccine distribution, Congress passed President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, a US$1.9 trillion relief package and President Biden signed it on Thursday afternoon, clearing the way for direct payments to millions of Americans. This is the first major piece of legislation advanced under the Biden administration. The bill will include US$1,400 stimulus checks for taxpayers making less than US$75,000 a year, funding for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, a continuation of the US$300 weekly boost to unemployment benefits, and US$350 billion in relief for states, local governments, territories, and tribal governments.
350.org Associate Director of Policy Natalie Mebane gave the following response:
“We are pleased that state and local governments will finally receive the critical funding that previous pandemic relief packages left out. We call for the allocation of these funds to center the needs of Black, Indigenous and communities of color at the intersections of crises we currently face: the pandemic, racial and economic injustice, and the climate crisis. We are disappointed in the decision to drop a minimum-wage increase from the package and narrow income limits for stimulus checks. We demand a just recovery from these compound crises that invests in our jobs, our communities, and our climate. We will continue to push our elected officials to support the people and not corporate interests.”
350.org is hosting a Week of Action from March 29th to April 3rd to pressure the Biden Administration to take real action to Build Back Fossil Free.
